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Careers
[…] can be very rewarding in itself. 3 Working with a range of issues. Addictions are complex and frequently co-exist with a wide range of other issues including mental health problems, physical health problems and issues with offending, housing, relationships and employment. People employed in the addictions field have the opportunity to work with and understand […]
DDN020707
[…] also increased by one third. The statistics showed that in cases where alcohol was related to the primary diagnosis, the most common causes of hospital admission were mental and behavioural disorder related to alcohol, followed by alcoholic liver disease. Where alcohol was related to a secondary diagnosis,reasons for admissions ranged from accidents, injuries and […]
Heroin Assisted Treatment – A helping hand
[…] disadvantages’ began treatment last December. Their two doses a day at 300mg-400mg have achieved stabilisation, during which they were introduced to wraparound services, including the BBV and mental health teams. Their immediate health and welfare needs were assessed, with the offer of help with everything, from housing to looking after their toenails. Outcomes evaluation so […]
Cannabis legalisation a mental health risk, says Rethink
Moves to legalise cannabis risk ‘fuelling the nation’s mental health crisis’, the charity Rethink Mental Illness has warned. While it recognises the ‘strong arguments’ for legislative change, more needs to be done to determine if legalisation would increase levels of public harm, the charity states. Use of high-potency cannabis can increase the likelihood of developing […]
Drug-related deaths highest since records began
[…] bring this spiralling number down. Read it here. www.addaction.org.uk We know that drug-related deaths are linked to age and complicated by health conditions. Poverty, deprivation, homelessness and mental health conditions all increase the chances of a life lost to drugs. That is why we need investment in substance misuse services that support people to improve […]
LGBT drug support
[…] at sexual behaviour and drug use interventions together.’ It’s not just physical health that can be at risk with chemsex, of course – there are major potential mental health issues as well. ‘There’s things like poor self-esteem,’ he says. ‘But we’re also seeing more drug-induced psychosis, a higher number of clients who’ve been detained under […]
Cost of gambling harms ‘at least’ £1.27bn a year
[…] to 35 per cent of non-drinkers. Men were more than four times more likely to be gambling at ‘levels of elevated risk of harm’, while people with mental health issues were twice as likely. People with gambling problems were also ‘at least’ twice as likely to die as a result of suicide than the general […]
News in brief
[…] government. www.justice.gov.uk/transforming-rehabilitation/voluntary-sector-and-probation-mutuals See news focus, page 6 See me Many pupils have gaps in their knowledge and skills in ‘serious safeguarding areas’ of personal safety including mental health and alcohol misuse, according to an Ofsted report on PSHE provision in primary and secondary education. Not yet good enough: personal, social, health and economic education […]
Coronavirus: Uncharted Waters
[…] big offices and are suddenly home workers.’ One significant concern, however, is that many of the people who need support the most –and may already have significant mental health issues that will be compounded by further isolation – will not be able to access it. ‘Lots of people don’t have internet access at home, don’t […]
Alcohol strategy is ripe for refreshment
[…] ‘other’, which included considerations such as drink driving. Children and families needed to be central to considering interventions – ‘both as victims and part of the solution’. Mental health was also a critical part. ‘We need to understand more about dual diagnosis,’ he said. ‘When does mental health trigger a problem and vice versa?’ He […]
Stemming the tide
[…] funding. It’s essential that funding for alcohol services is protected. A high proportion of our clients have complex and multiple needs including poor levels of physical and mental health, traumatic personal histories, homelessness or insecure housing, unemployment, poverty, domestic violence, involvement with the criminal justice system and child safeguarding issues. There are also particular groups […]
Stuck in the system
[…] hears DDN. We need to look at syndemics, said Charles Gore – when a set of linked health problems such as hepatitis C, drug and alcohol issues, mental health and homelessness interact to increase the person’s poor state of health and chances of disease. As chief executive of the Hepatitis C Trust and vice chair […]
We need to act on DRDs: Parliamentary Group
[…] map onto areas of high health inequality.’ PHE had developed principles for action, which included applying a ‘whole system approach’ to meeting people’s needs and addressing both mental and physical health, alongside drug use. Recent initiatives included getting a DRD indicator into the public health outcomes framework and giving commissioners advice on naloxone provision. […]
Detox in a box
[…] improve their lives. About the authors: R Iosub and I Seeger are senior registrars, South Gloucestershire and Bristol Specialised Drug and Alcohol Services, Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust. F D Law is consultant in substance misuse psychiatry at Turning Point. M Gilman is managing director of Discovering Health. N S Wallbank […]
Choosing a rehab centre? Amenities that can support recovery
[…] in which the clinical team addresses depression, anxiety or trauma alongside substance use within a single treatment plan. This is where integrated care can be important. If mental health conditions that accompany substance use are not addressed, treatment may resolve only part of the problem. Why integrated care matters Integrated treatment, in which mental health […]
Find What’s Right for You: Alternatives to 12-Step Addiction Recovery Centres
[…] one fits your needs.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”88238″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text css=””] Why Do Some People Choose Alternatives to 12-Step Recovery? Substance use disorders affect millions of Americans. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s national survey found that about 60% of people aged 12 and older, or about 168.7 million people, reported past-month use of alcohol, nicotine, tobacco […]
Recovery that respects the individual
[…] Premium Recovery have been developed around the idea that recovery should be shaped by the individual rather than a standardised programme.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”87736″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” css=””][vc_column_text css=””]Addiction and mental health challenges affect people from all walks of life. Whether someone is seeking support for alcohol use, drugs, prescription medication, anxiety, depression, trauma or burnout, the path […]
Opioid dependency increases dementia risk by almost 60 per cent
[…] underscores the need for medicine safety, preventive strategies, and further investigation into the neurological consequences of chronic opioid exposure.’ Meanwhile, a new report from ASH and the Mental Health and Smoking Partnership warns that 1.5m people in the UK with depression and anxiety are being left without support to quit smoking. Smoking rates among people […]
DDN publication dates 2026
[…] Family & carers, trauma —- May issue: Editorial copy date: Weds 15 April Press days: Thurs 30 April/Fri 1 May Publication date: Mon 4 May May features: Mental health, homelessness Mental Health Awareness Week, 11-17 May International Nurses Day, 12 May —- June issue: Editorial copy date: Fri 15 May Press days: Thurs 28/Fri 29 […]
Hungry for change
[…] of the drugs themselves. ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS And this isn’t just about being a bit peckish. Nutritional deficiency is a serious issue that can worsen both physical and mental health. Broadly, there are two main nutritional issues – eating poorly and therefore lacking essential vitamins and minerals, or having limited calorific intake, which compounded by a […]
The whole detox
Studying homeopathy led Tracy Woodward Gagetta to explore an innovative titration system for drug detoxification, as she explains After training and working in the fields of mental health and addictions, I developed a dilution titration system to reduce the withdrawal symptoms of and cravings for heroin, while studying for a degree in homeopathy. This was […]
The right strategy
[…] be challenging, but our vision remains clear and hopeful.’ Rebuilding lives Nat Adams is also in the lived experienced team after an online gambling addiction affected her mental health, family relationships and left her homeless. ‘One of the highlights of the JSNA research for me was interviewing stakeholders and service providers,’ she said. ‘It was […]
The age of overwhelm
[…] justice conference. ‘What are your biggest challenges?’ This question brought a range of answers from young people, said Vicky Branch, Cranstoun’s head of children and young people. Mental health, loneliness, access to services, waiting lists, substance use, bullying, violence… many issues emerged and many were not being addressed early enough before becoming problematic. So how […]
Drug-related deaths up more than 10 per cent
[…] work of frontline staff and volunteers in our own and other services, deaths would undoubtedly be even higher, and the strain on the NHS much worse. As mental health issues, financial struggles, inequalities, and dangerous synthetic drugs continue to fuel the crisis, we must do everything possible to make sure harm reduction services reach those […]
Heart of the matter
[…] settings. HHPUK is headed by myself, a former paratrooper and a beneficiary of psychedelic therapy after combat tours of Iraq and Afghanistan left me struggling with my mental health. Like many other veterans, I used NHS services and sought help from charities but with limited success. That’s why I started HHPUK. After so many failed […]
Breaking barriers: Lessons from Ophelia House six months on
[…] long-term effects. The women we support at Ophelia House come from diverse backgrounds and have individual life experiences. However, we are seeing common intersecting experiences, including co-occurring mental health support needs, domestic violence and experiences of coercive and controlling behaviour. Many women have experienced the heartbreak of losing children to the care system or are […]
Penrose Synergy Successfully Retains Floating Support Contract
[…] (LBC) and successfully retains a contract awarded in 2017. Emmeline Irvine, Head of Services & Specialist Homelessness and Complex Needs Lead Penrose first won the Synergy & Mental Health Floating Support Service (MHFS) contract in 2012. Since then, Penrose has provided an extensive portfolio of services across Luton & Bedfordshire, including supporting mental health needs, […]
Therapy doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective
[…] Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash With You’s Anna Bate reflects on ten years of delivering NHS talking therapies. There were a few moments early on in my mental health career that made me think ‘this is an amazing job’. I remember working with someone who was experiencing depression. He stands out because he was having […]
Wise up
[…] risks most of us still tend to ignore. The third week of last month was Alcohol Awareness Week, which this year took the theme of alcohol and mental health (DDN, November, page 5). While the long-established week complements other annual initiatives like Dry January and Sober October, the public’s awareness around alcohol remains stubbornly low. […]
News in brief
[…] first port of call for problems of dependence on these drugs, specialist help should also be provided to anyone who needs it.’ Guidance at www.gov.uk Mental help Mental health nurses are to join police officers on patrol in four pilot sites to ‘improve responses to mental health emergencies’, the government has announced.
The nurses will accompany […]
I am a…
[…] use_custom_fonts_h4=”true” css=”.vc_custom_1632153890406{background-image: url(https://www.drinkanddrugsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/iama-sun-background2.jpg?id=54201) !important;}”]Johnny* is a homeless recovery coordinator in Lancashire. Read Johnny’s story here. Tracey McMahon is a Delphi nurse who has developed her interest in mental health by working in a prison environment. Read Tracey’s story. Lena Larsen is a volunteer service user representative at Change Grow Live’s community drug service in St […]
Dame Carol Black Review – Next Steps
[…] all too familiar with. Drug problems spring up in areas of poverty and social exclusion; successful treatment and recovery is contingent on effective, coordinated support around housing, mental health and criminal justice; and when people leave prison they often miss out on the vital support they need. She also reminded delegates that our world-class treatment […]
Shutting up shop
[…] inequality of access for any treatment, but particularly for residential’. ‘When we resource addiction services effectively we take the strain off other services like criminal justice and mental health.’ Hannah Shead Hannah Shead, chief executive of Trevi House and chair of the Choices Rehabs group, agrees. ‘Our group began six years ago and we’ve seen […]
Adapt and thrive
[…] of drug and alcohol problems, are passing from the NHS to local authorities, which raises crucial questions around clinical governance. If this was happening with diabetes or mental health, for example, I think we’d be hearing a lot more about it.’ The national policy debate was still very much focused on problem drug users, he […]
In safer hands?
[…] for the charity formed by the merger of Alcohol Concern and Alcohol Research UK In my June article (DDN, June, page 23) I highlighted how the UK’s Mental Health Act poses problems when managing high-impact and change-resistant dependent drinkers. However, the piece of legislation which more commonly causes problems is the Mental Capacity Act (2005). […]
Power of ten
[…] had been forced into ‘unhealthy competition’ with each other, which inevitably meant that clients were losing out, while drug workers had huge caseloads and were effectively becoming mental health counsellors, housing officers and more in addition to their core work. ‘Where do they get the time to actually talk about the client’s drug use?’ What’s […]
Can positive psychology help to treat dual diagnosis?
Katalin Ujhelyi, Jerome Carson and Ioanna Melidou share results of a new study. People with dual diagnosis – co-occurring substance misuse and mental health issues – have complex needs. The duality of their disorders gives augmented symptoms, leaving clients particularly vulnerable and with poorer treatment outcomes. They require the most support, but in fact receive […]
Occupational support during recovery
[…] positive changes to his life – such as regular contact with his family, decorating his flat, cycling, engaging in peer support, resolving his debts and managing his mental health. He began volunteering for several organisations, with varied occupations from re-building bicycles to answering telephones. He had not been in employment for three years, having worked […]
Scottish Parliament consults on right to recovery bill
[…] frontline of this crisis right now. They supported 9,000 people rough sleeping in the UK last year. They are also responding to increased levels of need, with mental health needs particularly pronounced.’ While the £233m allocation in the budget was welcome, funding needed to be ‘sustainable, long term and part of a much broader solution […]
DDN Conference 2023 session three: Voices of experience
[…] on a gaping wound and it isn’t going to work. We need to educate from the bottom up to eradicate stigma – we’ve done this already for mental health. We need to do the same thing for addiction, because it is a mental health matter.’ ‘We’re all here for a reason, because we believe in […]
Prescription for action
[…] anxiety and stress – he said: ’Fifteen per cent of the British public at one time are on some form of prescription medication as a result of mental health issues.’ This statistic highlighted the scale of the problem, with many of these drugs addictive within four weeks and resulting in dependence in as little as […]
Support for veterans
[…] years, whilst issues around drug dependency also exist. Such substance use problems rarely exist in isolation and the presence of a number of co-occurring problems, such as mental health, violence/abuse, criminal behaviour, and employment/financial difficulties, add further complexity. These problems – and their cumulative and longstanding nature – can also have a significant and sustained […]
Uncharted territory
[…] offices and are suddenly home workers.’ One significant concern, however, is that many of the people who need support the most – and may already have significant mental health issues that will be compounded by further isolation – will not be able to access it. ‘Lots of people don’t have internet access at home, don’t […]
Royal College of Physicians comes out for decriminalisation
[…] in recent years (DDN, September 2017, page 4), as well as increasing numbers of drug poisonings and hospital admissions with a primary or secondary diagnosis of drug-related mental and behavioural disorders (DDN, March, page 5). The statistics ‘demonstrate a clear need for physical, psychological and social support and care for people addicted to drugs’, […]
Care at Windmill House
[…] and psychiatric history, as well as their history of substance misuse. It includes: Routine blood tests and any other investigations required An ECG A chest x-ray A mental health assessment Testing and vaccination for blood-borne viruses where appropriate Direct contact with the person’s GP to verify their prescribed medication and medical history Based on these […]
Debug the System
Persistence and flexibility are key when supporting people facing multiple disadvantage, says Melanie Pellicci. People experiencing substance use, homelessness, poor mental health and contact with the criminal justice system are too often passed between services that treat each issue in isolation. They are told they’re ‘too complex’ for one service, but not meeting the threshold […]
Time for a rethink
[…] explored the benefits of the Bridge the GAP model for supporting people experiencing multiple disadvantage (MD) in Surrey (DDN, April, page 12). For individuals experiencing MD, conventional mental health and substance use treatment pathways can be overly structured, overwhelming and difficult to navigate. When we talk about substance use and mental health treatment it can […]
Box Clever
[…] at the local clinic. Running this service as a drop-in suits the tenants well, as committing to a scheduled appointment can be challenging for those struggling with mental health or addiction. Digital inclusion Open Road has also been able to coordinate a two-day digital inclusion course at Beyond the Box with We Are Digital. Tenants […]
Back in the saddle
[…] address mental, emotional, and physical health and wellbeing. It focuses on activities like brushing, feeding, and leading horses – rather than riding – under the guidance of mental health professionals and youth workers. Although these might seem like everyday activities with a horse, with the facilitation of the skilled trauma therapist they can become highly […]
Brighter futures
[…] We know that the children of people who use substances have increased risk factors for substance use themselves, as well as involvement in the criminal justice system, mental health disorders and issues with engagement in education. This means they can be expected to be in poorer health later in life than their peers – should […]
National Careers Week 2025: ‘Forward are partnering, mentoring, upskilling, and empowering younger people to...
[…] and those with learning disabilities is vital. Tailoring training programmes to accommodate diverse learning needs can help ensure that all young people receive the support they require. Mental health considerations The link between unemployment, mental health, and financial pressure is a significant concern. Providing mental health support alongside employability training can help participants build resilience […]
Caught in the act
[…] in Ireland grew up with alcohol harm in the home, and it carries a devastating impact. Think of the costs of that alone – individual costs like mental and physical health and wellbeing – but also on an economic basis. It makes so much sense to look at all of this in the round.’ […]
Tobacco and vapes bill included in King’s Speech
[…] is also expected to form part of the crime and policing bill ‘Phasing out the sale of tobacco will be a major step in protecting the public’s mental health and could do more to benefit the physical and mental health of psychiatric patients than any other single measure,’ added Mental Health Foundation chief executive Mark […]
News in brief
[…] aims to provide an updated picture of the number of women’s aid refuges in London that provide access for women who use drugs and alcohol or have mental health issues. A 2002 survey revealed that just 13 per cent provided automatic access, while a further 48 per cent said they ‘sometimes’ would. Using freedom of […]
Hear My Truth!
‘Women and non-binary people are often excluded from services,’ said Aura Roig Forteza. ‘When they go to other services, such as mental health, they’re not allowed in because they’re using drugs.’ She went on to describe her experience in her home country, Spain. In the late ’80s, Spain had the highest rates of HIV in […]
Webchat ‘first port of call’ for people struggling with drugs, alcohol or mental health
[…] has analysed seven years of data from its webchat – a virtual service where people can speak to a trained professional about struggles with drugs, alcohol or mental health. The charity says its webchat has become an important ‘first port of call’ for thousands of people who might be less likely to approach an in-person […]
Poets’ Corner
[…] which he now uses to help others. Lee’s raw, honest and inspiring poems are part of a series of poems and illustrations from people with experience of mental health or drug and alcohol problems that have been collected in a book titled, Writing for our lives. The book, which aims to a shine a spotlight […]
Home Advantage
[…] including hostels, shared houses, one-bed flats and family homes. Many of the residents who move into our properties face issues such as unemployment, substance use, domestic violence, mental health concerns, physical disabilities, anti-social behaviour, or are leaving care. Private landlords are often reluctant to let properties to people experiencing challenges such as these and the […]
Recovery rising
[…] people reintegrate back into their community, to show that there is life after dependency. The game itself is also shown to have a positive effect on people’s mental health. Players feel part of a team, which is very important to those who can often feel outside of, or removed from, society. In the tournament these […]
Safe as houses
[…] situation is resolved. In the ’90s, I managed one of the largest hostels in London, Arlington House. It accommodated 400 men who had been homeless and had mental health and substance misuse issues. I share this with you to show how the needs of people in the UK have not changed over decades. Supported housing […]